The transition from the bubble oxygenator to the microporous membrane oxygenator.

The transition from bubble oxygenators to microporous membrane oxygenators is a good example of how industry working with customers and material suppliers can help improve a surgical technique, such as cardiopulmonary bypass. The development is characterized by many individuals who, through their inventiveness and determination, made the transition possible. While the medical personnel involved in the transition may be well known to professionals in the medical field by their other endeavors, many of the key engineers and industry entrepreneurs are mainly unknown. The purpose of this paper is to outline key elements of engineering and material science in the history of the transition, and also to identify some of the key individuals as well (Figure 1).